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Movie Info & Details
Release Year2002
Runtime1h 44m
LanguageCzech
CertificationNR
GenresDrama, Comedy
Votes6
DirectorJuraj Nvota
WritersScarlett Čanakyová
TypeFeature Film
Rating6.4 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsCruel Joys
About Cruel Joys
This simple story is the feature debut for well-known Slovak theater and television director Juraj Nvota. Set in a Slovak village at the turn of the last century, the story teems with passion, and repressed and hidden emotion. It delves into the search for identity, investigating both love and hatred, while dramatizing the tragic relationship between an adolescent girl (Tatiana Pauhofová) and her ambitious father (Ondrej Vetchý). Set against the striking though simple backdrop of a picturesque, even idyllic, landscape - one ostensibly cut off from any important historical, political, or social context whatsoever - the arrival of an unwanted individual evokes the onset of a cruel drama.
Directed by Juraj Nvota, Cruel Joys leans on a strong ensemble — Tatiana Pauhofová, Ondřej Vetchý, Milan Mikulčík — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2002.
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